Frame structure for railway vehicles



Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,425

F. L. ALBEN FRAME STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed Aug. 13, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTO 6 47?" we? ATTORNEY F. L. ALBEN FRAME STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Feb. 19,1929.

Filed Aug. 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Feb. 19, 1929.

F. L. ALBEN FRAME STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed Aug. 15, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

PATET OFFICE.

. K lb. AEBEN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVAN ASSIGNGR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELEG'LRJIU dc MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 9F PENNSYLVANIA.

BTRUUTURE FOR BAILA VEIGLES.

Application filed August 13, 1927. serial Ito. erases.

My invention relates generally to electrically driven railway Vehicles and more partlcularly to supporting beds or frame structures for locomotives.

5 Heretoform'a railway vehicle frame struc-- ture has usually comprised a pair of side or main frame members in which the wheel an ice were journalled together with suitable end sills and transverse members which were selo cured to the said frame members in such; manner that the required rigidity oi the structure was obtained. A suitable :door or deching was applied to the frame member, and the cab or bodyportion of the locomotive was is rigidly mounted thereon. However, this construction did not provide for mounting a heavy piece ofapparatus, such as a motorgenerator set or a Diesel-electric prime mover, in the center of the cab.

My present invention is directed to a vehicle-irame construction comprisin the usual side frame members, together wit a center frame member that is disposed between the side frame members and serves as a rigid 25 backbone member that also constitutes an equipment deck upon which relatively heavy pleces of apparatus may be mounted.

An object oi my invention is to provide a frame structure for electric locomotives that is of sturd and simple construction and of relatively ight weight.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a railway-vehicle-irame structure aving a central reinforcing or baclr-bone mem her that is adapted to withstand the shocks incident to bug cars,- and further provides a rigid support or equipment deck for a prime mover or other apparatus.

A further object of my invention is to pro= vide a railway-vehicle-trame structure utilizing a centrall disposed back-bone memher having a hol ow midportion of relativel lar e dimensions that serves to give strengt an rigidity to the entire structure and also provides a storage space for fuel or other material.

In order that the foregoing and otherobjects may be made clearly apparent, reference will now be had to the accompanying draw- .ings, in which:

Figure lisa View, in side elevation, of a or frame structure constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 8 is a view. in cross section, of the tramestructure taken along the line Jill-dill or Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4t is a view, in cross section, taken along the line llVllV of Fig. 2.

Referring to llig. l of the drawing, the raib way vehicle therein illustrated comprises a truck-frame structure or bed member 31. ct light web construction that is mounted upon the usual wheel axles 2 and supports a locomotive body or cab structure 3. The frame structure 1 in which my invention is e= bodied is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and l. As shown in Fig. 2, the tramestructure l comprises a pair of the usual side or main frame members l that are disposed in par allel relation, together with a center frame member or back-bone reinforcing structure 5 that is disposed between the side frame members l. The ends of the side frame members 4t are secured to the center-frame member 5 by means of bolts or rivets 6. For the pur pose of increasing the rigidity of the structure, a pair of bracket members 7 are interposed between the side frame members a and opposite sides of the center frame member 5 near the center of the trams structure and equally spaced therefrom. At each corner or? the frame structure 1, a bumper member or corner piece 8 is secured to the sides of the center-frame member 5 and adjacent to th ends of the side-frame members l.

The center frame member 5, whichserves as a rigid longitudinal back-bone structure extending from end to end of the frame structure 1, is preferably cast as an integral piece. As shown in the drawing, the various portions of the center frame member 5 are symmetrically disposed with respect to a 1 middle portion 11 that constitutes the central part of the vehicle frame 1, The middle portion 11 of the center frame member 5 is of relatively deep proportions", extendin both above and below the side frame mem ers 4 and is of substantially the shape of a hollow cube. The upper surface of the middle por- Directly above the pedestal jaws 20 elongated the frame.

tegral bracket members 24: areprovided.

tion 11 serves as an equipment deck upon center frame member 5. It may thus be seen which may be mounted a Diesel electric genfrom the drawing that the motors are suserating unit (not shown) or other heavy piece pended between the wheel axles 2 and the mid of apparatus, and the hollow interior may portion 11 of the center frame member 5 and serve as a storage space for fuel or water, beneath the longitudinal bracing members 13. or such other material as it may be found In this position, the motors are freely accesconvenient to store therein. sible for inspection and repairing.

On the lower portions of the faces of the Although l have described a specific emcubical middle portion 11, and integrally bodiment of the invention, it will be obvious formed therewith are motor-supporting to those skilled in the art that various modibrackets 12 that extend in the direction of ficationsmay be made in the details of conthe wheel axles 2. From the vertical edges struction and in the proportions of the sevof the middle portion 11, longitudinally diseral cooperating parts thereof, without deposed members 13 of channel shape, with parting from the spirit and scope of the intheir horizontal flan es facing inwardly convention as defined in the appended claims. verge toward the ens of the frame structure ll claim as my invention: and unite with end sill portions 14 that con- 1. In a vehicle-frame structure, a unitary stitute the transverse members for connecting center frame member comprising a relatively the ends of the side frame members 4:. llhe deep middle portion of substantially square extreme ends of the center frame member 5 cross section, .the walls of said middle portion are so formed that, together with the corner enclosing a substantially cubical space and members 8, they constitute a continuous face end portions of greater width and less depth or bumper portion 15 across the ends of the than the center portion. frame structure 1. The end sill portions 14 2, vlln a vehicle-frame structure, a symare disposed in substantially the same horimetrical unitary center frame member conzontal plane that is occupied by the middle stituting the back bone of the frame strucportion 11. v ture, side frame members secured to the cenllhc end sill portions 1d of the center frame ter frame member, recesses in the side frame member 5 are of greater width than the midmembers for receiving spring members and die portion 11 and are only approximately bumper members secured to the center frame one-third as deep as the middle portion. The member and the side frame members at each connecting lon itudinal members 13 are so corner of the frame structure. disposed that t eir upper surfaces lie in the 3. A vehicle frame comprisin a pair of plane of the top surface of the middle portion side frame members and a center frame mem- 11 andhave their lower surfaces raised to sub ber extending longitudinally of and between stantially the top plane of the end portions 14: the side frame members, said center frame to provide clearance space in the neighbormember having a relatively deep frame sechood of the wheel axles 2. Each end portion tion that extends above the side frame memll is provided, at its center, with a longitubers throughout its length and extends below dinally' disposed draw-bar pocket 16 that is the side frame members at its mid portion. adapted to receive a draw bar mechanism 17. l. lln a railway vehicle, a frame comprising llhe side frame members l which serve to the usual side frame members and a center support the frame structure 1 upon the wheel frame member having a mid portion of subaxles 2 are'of theusual construction and are stantially the shape of a hollow cube, wheel provided with depending pedestal jaws 20 axles journalled in the side frame members that are ada' ted to receive the usual journal and motors suspended between the wheel boxes 21 which are slidably mounted therein. axles and the'cub cally shaped mid portion of recesses or chambers 22 are provided for re- 5. In a locomotive bed, a pair of substanceiving spring members 23 that are prefertiallyparallel side-frame members, a center ably of the usual semi-elliptical design and frame member interposed between the side serve to resiliently support the frame member frame members and secured to their ends and 1 upon the journal boxes 21 inthe usual manbracket members disposed between the sideno i no I

nor. In order that brake rigging (not frame members and the mid portion of the shown) or other auxiliary apparatus may be center-frame member. mounted on the side frame members 4, in- 6. In a locomotive bed, a pair of substantially parallel side frame members, a center Referring now to Fig. 1, the llocomotive frame member interposed between the side illustrated is designed to be propelled by frame members and secured to their ends, said means of'motors 31 that are journalled upon center frame member having a relatively deep the wheel axles 2 in the manner known in the mid portion extending above and below the art as axle-hung motors. The motors are side frame members and bracket members for further sup orted at their sides remote from securing the side frame members to the mid* the axles2- y means of the motor-supportportion of the center frame member.

ing brackets 12 that are integral parts of the 7. In a railway vehicle, the combination with the usual side framemembers of a center frame member disposed between the side frame members, said center frame member comprising a deep mid portion extending above and below the side frame members, end sill portions to which the ends of the side frame members are secured and channel portions for connecting the end sill portions to the mid portion, said end sill portions constituting the bumper frames and draft-gearsupporting means.

8. In a railway vehicle, the combination with a truck structure comprising the usual side frame members journalledupon a plurality of wheel axles, of a center frame member extending over the axles and having a deep mid portion extending above and below the side frame members, of a plurality of motors for driving the vehicle, said motors being disposed beneath the ends of the center frame member and between the deep mid portion of the center frame member and the axles.

9. In a railway vehicle, a frame comprising the usual side frame members and an internal center frame member, said center frame member comprising a hollow mid portion of subtially cubical shape, converging channel portions extending from the vertical edges of the cubical mid portion longitudinally of the frame and end portions on said channel portions, said end portions constituting sill members for supporting the ends of the side frame members and having integral bumper portions. 7

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of August, 1927.

FRANK L. ALBEN. 

